which lorry?

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scribble

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please help me decide what sort of lorry to get. I want to get one as my mare will be 3 next spring and want to take her out to stuff next autumn to have look round etc and no shows within hacking distance. The dilemma is do i get a 3.5 ton which will only take her and me, however i want my friend to come with me quite often with her 15hand for company and experience for mine. do i buy a 7.5 ton so i can take her too or let her make her own way there in her trailer. I would rather not hire as costs a lot and also i want to practice loading with her etc. No other transport on yard or nearby.
 
cant use the trailer as it is only takes 2 large ponies and she doesnt have anythign to pull 2 horses and i have a works car and cant afford to run that and a 4x4 and buy a bigger trailer
 
I would say always go for a 7.5T lorry. I always thought that a 3.5T one would suit me perfectly, it only has enough payload for me & my horse, but I thought that was OK. However if I was going to ever get another lorry I would always get one which would take two horses, just in case you do want to take someone with you somewhere
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It does seem that 3.5T lorries are ridiculously expensive whilst 7.5T lorries are cheaper too
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splotchy is spot on... i've been lorry hunting and 3.5t go for FAR more than 7.5t... even though the bigger ones are often better equipped (living etc)

i sold a slightly shoddy bog basic 3.5t, and for the money am buying a newer, better, FABULOUS 5t lorry. i looked at some really nice 7.5t for the money, but they were too big.

x
 
I used to borrow a 3.5 tonne but when I decided to buy I bought a 7.5 tonne and have never looked back. My lorry also has power steering, I cannot even begin to explain how heavy a 3.5 tonne lorry is to drive with two horses up at the end of a very long day if it doesn't have power steering. Some 3.5 tonnes cannot take two horses depending on the the unladden weight.
 
Def a 7.5T certainly if you don't have issues re licence (ie you can drive one on your current licence) otherwise you'll have to get an HGV/LGV licence.

You get a lot more for your money although if you only have a very small budget make sure you have someone who knows what they're doing/looking at with you (well that goes for anything really). Also try avoid Ford Cargos as they are hard to get any new parts for these days.

Depends on your budget I guess but I'd go for a 7.5T everytime unless I only had one horse and never intended on taking anymore - although you're still pushed for space for tack/water etc in a 3.5T I feel.
 
Oh and also a 5.5/6T is a good idea but they are few and far between and can be as much as if not more than a 7.5T and you need the same licence to drive both.
 
If you can manage a 7.5 tonne with your driving licence I would always go for that.
You don't need to have a huge long lorry I have a 7.5 tonne but only 15ft box takes two horses and wee living but ecconomical enough to run with only one horse.
 
I have a 7.5 ton class C licence so not an issue will keep an eye out for 7.5 ton then, thanks guys. Corran what lorry do you have as it sounds like what i am looking for but curious as to make
 
I love my 7.5t only carries 2 but that was my choice as didn't want to be giving lifts all the time to lots of people and I'm too soft to say no
 
sorry scribble I have a 20+ year old "stick box" which has always been a horsebox (not a conversion) which was moved onto an R reg Daf chassi for me 4 years ago. Keep an eye out there are some wee gems out there sitting on really old trucks and a new chassi is not as expensive as a new lorry and not expensive for somebody to move it for you it might be the way to get what you want
 
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